Yegori M.
SGA-Supported Missionary Pastor in Russia

Editor’s Note: Far East Russia is a field ripe for sowing and harvesting. Roughly equal to the geographic size of the United States, the massive area holds cities and villages that have been receptive to the Gospel, but need cultivation—and more leaders. You are helping supply that leadership. The following article provides a glimpse.

After a two-year break, we started the Antioch Initiative courses in Yakutsk again with SGA’s help. Antioch Initiative sessions—a program of intensive biblical lay leader training—help our church leaders and ministers obtain a deeper understanding of God and His Word, therefore serving Him better and with more dedication. 

This time, we have young and active church ministers studying via Antioch training. In fact, this is the first time ever that we had two students who were so much impressed by the classes that they decided to attend Novosibirsk Biblical Theological Seminary (NBTS)—one of the best biblical schools in Russia, also supported by SGA. It’s not easy for both of them, but while studying here, they realized how much they needed more biblical training, and it led them to reach their decision for Novosibirsk.

Alexei is a Sunday school director and youth leader for the Yakutsk Central Baptist Church. He was an Antioch student for a year in addition to studying at the Bible school of the church. It was hard for him to take the decision to go study at the seminary. He had to quit his job while raising three small kids, and travel 1,700 miles to Novosibirsk. Now he’s a full-time student there, and he shares his testimony:

“I became a Christian as a teenager, and since I turned 20 years old I always had a dream to get a Christian education, study at a seminary, and to be a preacher. But at that time I didn’t know much about any Christian training, so I graduated from a secular university and then started to work. Then I attended several classes of the Antioch Initiative and then the Bible School at Yakutsk Church. I also talked to a couple of brothers who had studied at NBTS and heard others’ testimonies about it. I was so much inspired by the classes, and by what I heard from the brothers, that I started to pray for God’s will and asked Him to grant me the blessing to study at NBTS. The Lord gave me courage and confidence in my decision to go to Novosibirsk this summer, and I finally entered the seminary. God provides almost everything I need for my living and studies there. I want to praise and thank the Lord Jesus for His guidance and help!”

Dear brothers and sisters, we rejoice at seeing what God is doing in Yakutia! We thank SGA partners and NBTS for bringing us sound biblical teaching and training. May the Lord give His rich blessings to all of you!